U-S Senator Dick Durbin says the AIDS epidemic is growing more critical with each passing day and the United States cannot just wait and hope it will go away. That’s why he’s introduced new legislation, the Global Care Act.

He says the bill authorizes $2.5 billion to agencies involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The senator says the measure provides for treatment, prevention and AIDS orphans.

The aim of the bill is to increase coordination and accountability between federal agencies dealing with the AIDS crisis. Senator Durbin spoke to English to Africa’s Joe De Capua about the Global Care Act.